Cache of Firearms Found

[Joe N]

From my friend in Europe, he just sent me these pics, have not got all the information as of yet, although I know the place in Germany. Some interesting finds, I hope you enjoy! No graves or battlefields! More pics to come.......

[Ostmark]

What the hell

Pretty nice stuff and in very good condition, i would say
most of the rifles and the 3 MG42 are restoreable

[IanC]

Blimey! Thanks for sharing

Was this cache found in Russia?

Cheers

Ian

[Matt Starr]

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[Sgnt Fury]

that is pretty cool but I hope those Grenades are not still active, imagine being killed by a grenade from WW2, that would not be cool

[Matt Starr]

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[FestungSpanien]

What the.... I am speechless
Ace

[Adrian Stevenson]

Hi Matt, I know that ones found in Arnhem/Oosterbeek had the butts broke off deliberatly to make them useless, but these still have the bolts in place? Maybe it is just how they rotted in the ground?

Hi Adam, great photos! Grenades are stuff really worry me after 60 odd years in the ground

Cheers, Ade.

[Matt Starr]

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[Chet Sowersby]

What a find! Thanks for the pictures.

Chet

[Joe N]

Thanks Gentlemen for all the responses. I am at a loss as well, I cannot understand why the butts are broken off on many of these. Here is a portion of the email I received from my friend
" there were 22pcs of different carbines - 98K, 98, Polish and others (hard to identify). Mostly 7,92Mauser, but 5pcs of 22LR too (I cannot understand it). Also 1xMP38, 1xMP40, 3xMG42, 11pcs of ammo cans, Mk39 grenades, Mk24 grenades, box (first aid can) full of 7,65 long ammo, spare barrels to MG34 and 42, one flare gun, very nice ammo pouch - from first war, totally for 12pcs of loading strips ..."
I don't touch ordnance, but these guys do what they want, I have no say. Still, that aside, I find these items incredibly fascinating...not only the items, but how and why they were packed/sealed and hidden for over 60 years.
Thanks again Gentlemen

[Ostmark]

Regading to the nades .. from the pics it looks like that the german egg nades
have no fuses screwed in, so they are not dangerous.
From the rest i cant tell from the pics ...

If you are relic hunting you have to be very carefull with the stuff you
are finding, and you have to have a big knowledege about explosives
of every kind, so be always carefull to stay alive

[Theodor]

A great find!!!

About the butts, some time ago was a similar find, and I heard the theory that the wood that is near the metal parts has more or less oil on it, while the butt is least soaked with oil, so the wood there is rottng faster. Sounds reasonable, but who knows if that;s it??

[Matt Starr]

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[Joe N]

Hi Gentlemen, here is a reply from my friend to some of the questions

"Some answers: Egg grenades really had fuses not screwed in, so they are deactiveted. 24 has fuses on top (not inside the handle...).
All carbines were in wooden boxes, laying alternately butt/barrel... Those butts were broken when removing them. Everything was concentrated in very small not deep hole, including MGs...
I have no doubts it was burried by escaping german soldiers, but why so many 22LR carbines?! Maybe some guard units? I forgot to mention - most of ammo was ZB Brno production, mostly prewar! And those paper boxes with ammo in strips are Czech too, there are stickers "Ammo for Czech gun Mk.24", amazing how many milions of them Germans had!